Printed as a letter-to-the-editor, Durham Herald, Nov. 2008
One of the men who panhandle at the intersection of 15-501 and I-40 died this month. His name was Bulldog. He had lived in the woods and panhandled at the same interstate ramp for about six years. Bulldog claimed to be a former Navy Seal. I do not know if that was true but ironically, he was buried on Veteran’s Day.
Bulldog died, in part, due to his lack of health insurance. Like most homeless people, Bulldog’s health history was complex and his treatment inadequate. He had learned to cope with numerous chronic health problems but, he eventually died from a staph infection that went untreated for too long.
Around thirty-five people attended Bulldog’s funeral. Some of the people at the funeral were what Bulldog called “church people.” They were serious Christians who tried for several years to help Bulldog with his spiritual and physical needs. The rest of the people at the funeral were fellow panhandlers who thought of themselves as Bulldog’s family.
Every person at the funeral talked about how Bulldog had touched his or her life. They described him as a strong, but troubled person. They talked about him as a “protector” of his fellow panhandlers. They expressed respect for his willingness to protect his community of panhandlers the same way he was willing to protect his country at an earlier point in his life.
Bulldog was not a hero but, he was a decent person who was willing to help the people around him. Unfortunately, to most of us who drove past him every day he was invisible. His real name was Nick. He died at the age of 49.
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